Becoming the Shuffle Alliance: Sai Saici - A New Family?
by Chino Kusannagi
Summary: Takes place after the transference of the Shuffle Crests. Sai Saici ignores Zuisen & Keiun to think about how becoming the new Ace of Clubs will affect his future in the Gundam Tournament. More importantly, will it help him restore the Shaolin Temple. He also wonders if the new Shuffle Alliance can come together as a pseudo-family. Sai Saici always wanted to be part of a family.


**Author's Note:** part four of the Becoming the Shuffle Alliance series of one shots. Takes place after the 'Goodbye Shuffle Alliance' episode (but before the Dark Gundam rises from under Shinjuku) and at the same time as part one  & of the series featuring Argo, part two featuring Chibodee, and part three featuring George.

* * *

 _Becoming the Shuffle Alliance: Sai Saici – A New Family?_

Sai Saici sat crossed legged on a pile of debris from a ruined building. He stared absently at the scene before him. His guardians and mentors, Zuisen and Keiun were talking to him but he wasn't listening to a word either said. If you heard one lecture you heard them all was the young martial artist's opinion regarding his crew's way of dealing with his behavior.

'I screwed up, you were worried, and you're happy I'm back to normal. I get it. Jeez when are they going to stop talking? Can't they see I'm ignoring them?'

All the other Gundam fighters seemed to be in similar situations. Lost in their own thoughts while the members of their team tried to get them to talk about what just happened. The Neo-Chinese representative glanced in the older monks' direction.

'Shouldn't they be proud of me right now? I did just earn a Shuffle Crest. And I'm the Ace too. It sounds so cool. I should really rub it in that Neo-American guy's face that my title sounds better than his.  
Besides being cool, this is a great honor. If only Father was still alive to see this. He would be proud of me.'

Thinking about his father made Sai Saici remember his reason for entering the Gundam Tournament in the first place. If he won the championship then the Emperor of Neo-China would restore his beloved Shaolin Temple. It was Father's greatest wish and now it was Sai Saici's too. He couldn't afford to let something like the emergence of the Dark Gundam stand in the way.

Although it was tragic that someone had to die for him to become the Ace of Clubs, the young monk couldn't help but see how it was to his benefit. Prestige came with owning a Shuffle Crest and it would elevate his position in the eyes of the Emperor. Now he had the power of the Crest to aid him in his goal. With this he was sure he would be able to attain ultimate victory for his nation and the rest of the Shaolin monks back home who were depending on him.

'That guy who saved me looked like he was a monk too. I wonder if I inherited his Crest because we were similar? He probably would have supported me in restoring the Temple if he lived. Yeah I'm sure of it. Monks sticking together or something like that. I wonder if I had met before or maybe he knew Father from when he was travelling the world looking for help.'

No amount of daydreaming would answer those questions. The former Ace of Clubs wasn't around anymore to ask him. Not even a trace of the man or his Gundam was left. Ash blowing away on the wind was the result of the sacrifices made by the Shuffle Alliance. Nothing left to bury and nothing to remember them by. But their legacy would endure through Sai Saici, Argo, Chibodee, and George.

Try as he might, Sai Saici couldn't recall many details of the former Ace. What he could remember he would prefer to forget. Namely how the man had held him in his arms while he was unconscious. The young warrior was draped across the man's arms like a sleeping child being brought to bed that was slipping down from squirming in his sleep. It was embarrassing to say the least. Always being treated like a child was a pet peeve of his. Physically he was child still but the boy had a man's burden to bear. For once Sai Saici wanted someone to acknowledge him as a fighter first

Then there was how he was defeated. That punch attack that shot out energy as if fired from a machine gun. Energy blasts struck everywhere at once leaving the small fighter no means of escape. Under normal circumstances Zuisen and Keiun would have tried to convince the Ace to train with Sai Saici as they were getting a little old to do so. One more thing to add to the list of things that won't happen.

'I don't even feel different. Maybe it just takes some time? Should I ask Big Bro?'

From looking over to where Domon was across from him, Sai Saici could tell immediately now was not the time. The Neo-Japanese fighter looked like all he wanted right now was to be alone. Since the day he met Domon while trying to recover Dragon Gundam the younger martial artist looked up to the man.

Without his consent Sai Saici decided to regard him as a 'brother' and Domon's crew member Rain as a 'sister'. As an only child he had longed to have a sibling. Then at least he would still have some family to hang onto when his parents were gone. Someone else who could understand the pain and loneliness he felt at the loss would have made things easier. Keiun and Zuisen did their best to be like family to their young charge and he appreciated it. They were like uncles to him as well as many of the monks back at the Temple but that isn't what Sai Saici wanted. Those two would always have a sense of duty toward him which would make him feel more like a burden on them. He was their responsibility first and foremost.

With Domon and Rain it was different. He could joke around and do crazy things and not expect a scolding later. Things could be their secret from the boy's guardians. Going on adventures and having sparing matches like it was no big deal was something he treasured. When things got rough Rain would cover for him with Zuisen and Keiun. Those two were a refuge for him when the stress of the Gundam fights became too much for him to deal with alone. Domon understood him and Rain supported them both.

Sure one day he would have to once again have an official match with his Big Bro and they would temporarily be enemies. Outside the ring that reality seemed more like a dream. Last thing any of them need was yet another to complicate things. Bad enough the fighters from Neo-China, Neo-Japan, Neo-Russia, Neo-America, and Neo-France had gone against the unspoken rule of becoming friends with representatives of other nations. Such relations would only make competing against them more difficult and distracting. What if they unconsciously held back and lost an important match?

'I guess we are a real team now. The new Shuffle Alliance. We keep bumping into each other so much it almost feels like we were a team from the beginning. It's not like I have anything against being on a Team with them. They are all great fighters. I wonder if the others plan on working together with Big Bro to defeat this Dark Gundam thing?  
If our nations knew what would they think? My Emperor probably wouldn't approve if it interferes with my performance in the tournament. Really it's only Big Bro I have to worry about defeating. I can take those other guys no problem. None of them are skilled martial artists like he is. And he has defeated all of us before …..'

His thoughts wandered back to the scattered memories he had of the former Shuffle Alliance. They all seemed close, almost like a family. With the exception of Master Asia that is. But even he must have worked hard together with them at one time. Otherwise they wouldn't have tried so hard to convince him to rejoin the Shuffle Alliance or listened to Domon's pleas of leniency.

'I wonder if we would ever be like them one day, a team that's like family. I already think of Domon as a big brother. I guess I could think of that Neo-American boxer as a cousin or something as long as those women stick around. Neo-France's knight acts more like a girl but I don't think he would like me calling him 'sis' so I guess he would have to be a cousin too. That quiet Neo-Russian guy reminds me of some of the monks back home so he could work as an uncle, maybe. Not that I really need more uncles …'

Mentioning uncles made him look at Keiun and Zuisen who apparently finally got it through their heads they were being ignored because they stopped talking. Honestly speaking they were more like his Godfathers then uncles, doing their best to stand in for Sai Saici's father.

'All this thinking is making my head hurt. Until Big Bro pulls himself together I'm not going to try working with those guys, simple as that. My time would be better spent training and learning how the Ace of Clubs crest has enhanced my skills. It's not like the Dark Gundam is going to participate in the Gundam fight or anything. We can handle that after the tournament, if we can all stand to still be friends. Time to do something other than mope around.'

"Hey Zuisen, Keiun, I'm hungry. Let's go set my wok and cook up some dinner."

"Zuisen did you just hear that? How can he think of food at a time like this?"

"I completely agree Keiun. We just learn of a threat to the Earth and all he wants to do eat dinner! Where did we go wrong?"

'And everything goes back to normal. They are back to scolding me again. As long as we get away from here they can lecture me as long as they want.'

Before the monks could launch into another full blown lecture, Sai Saici went over to Rain to say goodbye and encourage her not to give up on Domon overcoming Master Asia's betrayal. Then he turned away to collect his Gundam and go find supplies for dinner and return to his normal life as a Gundam fighter.

* * *

 _ **Side Note:**_ If you like my writing style check out my profile for information on fanfictions I have written for other fandoms and general announcements for all my stories and upcoming chapters before they are posted. Most of my fanfics are anime/manga related and span multiple genres but there are ones for a cartoon, a movie, and a video game as well. Eventually I'll expand to ones for TV shows and Books too.

 **Reviews, favorites, alerts, and pm's about this or any other story are welcome and thanks for reading.**


End file.
